Image recording apparatus, recording method, and image recording system

ABSTRACT

An image recording apparatus includes a recording section, a storage section, and a control section. The recording section records an output video outputted from a first endoscope, an output video outputted from a PACS terminal, and an output video outputted from a second endoscope, and generates recording information including data of the output videos, to retain the generated recording information. The storage section stores display state information outputted from a display apparatus. The control section controls the recording section and the storage section, so as to generate the recording information by associating the data of the output videos with the display state information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of PCT/JP2019/014945filed on Apr. 4, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporatedherein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, arecording method, and an image recording system that are for recording aplurality of output videos outputted from a plurality of video outputapparatuses.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the medical sites, various kinds of medical modalities are used forgenerating medical images for diagnosis. Examples of the medicalmodalities include an endoscope that generates endoscopic images, an MRIapparatus that generates MRI images, a CT apparatus that generates CTimages, and the like. As disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open Publication No. 2017-6384, for example, the medical modalitiesare configured to be capable of displaying, saving, and transmittingmedical images.

In recent years, medical image management systems called PACS (PictureArchiving and Communication Systems) have been developed. Such medicalimage management systems are configured to manage a plurality of medicalimages generated by a plurality of medical modalities. A known PACS is,as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.2011-41585, for example, provided with a server for storing a pluralityof medical images and an image viewer terminal for displaying theplurality of medical images.

One example of a surgical system provided with medical modalities is anendoscopic surgical system configured to perform medical procedures byusing an endoscope. The endoscopic surgical system is provided with adisplay apparatus configured to display endoscopic images picked up bythe endoscope. A known example of a display apparatus of an endoscopicsurgical system includes a monitor apparatus disclosed in Japan PatentNo. 5851647. The monitor apparatus is configured to be capable ofreceiving not only endoscopic images, but also videos corresponding tomedical images outputted from a plurality of medical modalities otherthan the endoscope and videos corresponding to medical images outputtedfrom PACS terminals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An image recording apparatus according to one aspect of the presentinvention is an image recoding apparatus including a processor thatincludes hardware. The processor is configured to: record a plurality ofoutput videos outputted from a plurality of video output apparatuses,and generate recording information including data of the plurality ofoutput videos, to retain the generated recording information; storedisplay state information outputted from a display apparatus configuredto display the plurality of output videos, the display state informationrelating to change points of display states of the plurality of outputvideos in the display apparatus; and generate the recording informationby associating the data of the plurality of output videos with thedisplay state information.

A recording method according to one aspect of the present invention is arecording method for recording output video signals from video outputapparatuses. The recording method includes: recording a plurality ofoutput videos outputted from a plurality of video output apparatuses,and generating recording information including data of the plurality ofoutput videos, to retain the generated recording information; storingdisplay state information outputted from a display apparatus configuredto display the plurality of output videos, the display state informationrelating to change points of display states of the plurality of outputvideos in the display apparatus; and generating the recordinginformation by associating the data of the plurality of output videoswith the display state information.

An image recording system according to one aspect of the presentinvention is an image recording system including video outputapparatuses that output video signals, a processor that processes thevideo signals, and a display apparatus that displays output videosoutputted from the processor. The processor is configured to: record aplurality of output videos outputted from a plurality of video outputapparatuses, and generate recording information including data of theplurality of output videos, to retain the generated recordinginformation; store display state information outputted from the displayapparatus, the display state information relating to change points ofdisplay states of the plurality of output videos in the displayapparatus; and generate the recording information by associating thedata of the plurality of output videos with the display stateinformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of anendoscopic surgical system in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of an imagerecording apparatus according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of adisplay apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of hardwareconfigurations of the image recording apparatus and the displayapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing output videos that are displayedon a display section of the display apparatus in the embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining editing points imparted todata of a plurality of output videos in the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a chart showing an example of display state information in theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example of an editing screendisplayed on the display section of the display apparatus in theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining editing points imparted todata of a plurality of output videos in a modification of the embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to drawings.

(Configuration of Endoscopic Surgical System)

First, description will be made on a configuration of a system includingan image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. An image recording apparatus 1 according to the presentembodiment is an image recording apparatus for medical use. FIG. 1 showsa configuration of an endoscopic surgical system 100 provided with theimage recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Theendoscopic surgical system 100 includes a plurality of video outputapparatuses that are connected to the image recording apparatus 1, adisplay apparatus 2, and a recording device 140, in addition to theimage recording apparatus 1. The display apparatus 2 is an apparatus fordisplaying a plurality of output videos outputted from the plurality ofvideo output apparatuses.

The recording device 140 is an apparatus or a recording medium thatrecords recording information to be described later. As the recordingdevice 140, an optical drive apparatus configured to record informationon an optical disk such as an CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray disk, etc., a harddisk apparatus configured to record information on a magnetic disk, or asemiconductor memory apparatus, such as a USB memory, configured torecord information in a flash memory, is used, for example.

Here, it is supposed that there is a group of a plurality of apparatusesincluding: a plurality of medical modalities each of which is configuredto generate medical images for diagnosis; and a medical image managementapparatus configured to manage the medical images. The plurality ofvideo output apparatuses in the present embodiment are selected from thegroup of the plurality of apparatuses. In the present embodiment, afirst endoscope 110 and a second endoscope 120, which are medicalmodalities, and a terminal of a medical image management apparatus(hereinafter referred to as a PACS terminal) 130 are connected to theimage recording apparatus 1.

The first endoscope 110 includes an endoscope main body 111 and a videoprocessor 112. The endoscope main body 111 is configured to pick up animage of an object to generate an endoscopic image, and transmit thegenerated endoscopic image to the video processor 112 by wired orwireless communication. The video processor 112 is configured to performpredetermined image processing on the endoscopic image to generate avideo of the object, and output to the image recording apparatus 1 thegenerated video as an output video S1.

The second endoscope 120 has the same configuration as that of the firstendoscope 110. In other words, the second endoscope 120 includes anendoscope main body 121 and a video processor 122. The endoscope mainbody 121 is configured to pick up an image of an object to generate anendoscopic image, and transmits the generated endoscopic image to thevideo processor 122 by wired or wireless communication. The videoprocessor 122 is configured to perform predetermined image processing onthe endoscopic image to generate a video of the object, and output tothe image recording apparatus 1 the generated video as an output videoS3.

The PACS terminal 130 is an apparatus configured to output to the imagerecording apparatus 1 medical images as an output video S2. The medicalimages include MRI images, CT images, and the like stored in the medicalimage management system called PACS (Picture Archiving and CommunicationSystems). Note that the medical images such as MRI images, CT images,and the like are photographed, in advance, by an MRI apparatus, a CTapparatus, and the like, before a surgery using the endoscopic surgicalsystem 100.

(Configuration of Image Recording Apparatus)

Next, description will be made on the configuration of the imagerecording apparatus 1, with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a functionalblock diagram showing the configuration of the image recording apparatus1. First, description will be made on a main part of the image recordingapparatus 1. The image recording apparatus 1 includes, as the main part,a recording section 11, a storage section 12, and a control section 13.

The recording section 11 is configured to record a plurality of outputvideos that are outputted from the plurality of video outputapparatuses, and generate recording information including data of theplurality of output videos, to retain the generated recordinginformation. The recording section 11 generates the recordinginformation by associating the data of the plurality of output videoswith time information having a correspondence with a lapse of time. Thetime information may be information of clock time, or an elapsed timefrom the clock time at which the recording of the plurality of outputvideos was started. The recording section 11 is configured to be capableof outputting at least a part of the recording information.

The storage section 12 is configured to store display state informationoutputted from the display apparatus 2. The display state informationrelates to display states of the plurality of output videos in thedisplay apparatus 2. The storage section 12 stores the display stateinformation in association with the time information, similarly as therecording information. The display state information includesinformation on the input source of each of the plurality of outputvideos in the display apparatus 2, information on correction parametersfor each of the plurality of output videos in the display apparatus 2,and information on a display style of each of the plurality of outputvideos in the display apparatus 2.

In addition, the display state information includes a plurality piecesof setting value information for identifying the plurality of videooutput apparatuses. The storage section 12 further stores a tableshowing a correspondence between the plurality of video outputapparatuses and the plurality of pieces of setting value information.The table is created in advance before the surgery using the endoscopicsurgical system 100.

The control section 13 controls the recording section 11 and the storagesection 12 so as to generate recording information by associating thedata of the plurality of output videos with the display stateinformation. In addition, the control section 13 controls the recordingsection 11 and the storage section 12 so as to identify the outputsource of each of the plurality of output videos by using the tablestored in the storage section 12 and add the information on theidentified output source to the data of each of the plurality of outputvideos.

Furthermore, the control section 13 is capable of causing the pluralityof output videos, which are included in the recording informationretained in the recording section 11, to be displayed on the displayapparatus 2, and causing a screen for editing the recording informationretained in the recording section 11 to be displayed on the displayapparatus 2, and causing at least a part of the recording informationretained in the recording section 11 to be recorded in a recordingdevice 140 or on a recording medium of the recording device 140.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the plurality of videooutput apparatuses are the first and second endoscopes 110, 120, and thePACS terminal 130, as shown in FIG. 1, and the plurality of outputvideos are the output videos S1 to S3. In the present embodiment, therecording section 11 records the output videos S1 to S3, and generatesthe recording information including the data of the output videos S1 toS3, to retain the generated recording information. Furthermore, thecontrol section 13 generates the recording information by associatingthe data of the output videos S1 to S3 with the display stateinformation.

Next, description will be made on a configuration of other parts, otherthan the main part, of the image recording apparatus 1. The imagerecording apparatus 1 further includes three video input sections 21,22, 23, and three signal detection sections 24, 25, 26, an input signalswitching section 27, an encoding section 28, an output signal switchingsection 29, three video output sections 30, 31, 32, a communicationsection 33, and a writing-out section 34.

Each of the video input sections 21 to 23 includes an input terminalconfigured to receive input of the output video. Examples of theterminals used as the input terminals include a serial digital interfaceterminal (hereinafter, referred to as an SDI terminal), a luminancesignal/chrominance signal separation terminal (hereinafter, referred toas a Y/C terminal), and the like. The video input section 21 receives aninput of the output video S1 outputted from the first endoscope 110 (seeFIG. 1). The video input section 22 receives an input of the outputvideo S2 outputted from the PACS terminal 130 (see FIG. 1). The videoinput section 23 receives an input of the output video S3 outputted fromthe second endoscope 120 (see FIG. 1).

The signal detection section 24 detects presence or absence of the inputof the output video S1 to the video input section 21, and outputs theoutput video S1 inputted to the video input section 21 to the inputsignal switching section 27 and the output signal switching section 29.The signal detection section 25 detects presence or absence of the inputof the output video S2 to the video input section 22, and outputs theoutput video S2 inputted to the video input section 22 to the inputsignal switching section 27 and the output signal switching section 29.The signal detection section 26 detects presence or absence of the inputof the output video S3 to the video input section 23, and outputs theoutput video S3 inputted to the video input section 23 to the inputsignal switching section 27 and the output signal switching section 29.

The input signal switching section 27 is configured to be controlled bythe control section 13, and to select any of the inputted output videosS1 to S3 and output the selected video to the encoding section 28. Theencoding section 28 converts the inputted output video into video datain a predetermined format, and outputs to the recording section 11 thevideo data subjected to the conversion. Note that the conversionprocessing on the video data in the encoding section 28 may includecompression processing for compressing the amount of the data. Therecording section 11 records the video data subjected to the conversionin the encoding section 28, as the output video outputted from the videooutput apparatus.

Note that the input signal switching section 27 and the encoding section28 may operate so as to convert only some of the output videos thatsatisfy a predetermined condition into video data, may operate so as toconvert all of the output videos inputted to the image recordingapparatus 1 into video data, or may operate so as to concurrentlyconvert some of the output videos that satisfy the predeterminedcondition and all of the output videos into video data. For example, thepredetermined condition may be a condition that the output video is avideo that is being displayed on the display apparatus 2 when the outputvideo is selected.

The output signal switching section 29 is configured to be controlled bythe control section 13, and to select the output source of the outputvideo, from the signal detection sections 24 to 26 and the recordingsection 11 and output the output video outputted from the selectedoutput source to any one of the video output sections 30 to 32.Specifically, the output signal switching section 29 selects, as theoutput source of the output video S1, either the signal detectionsection 24 or the recording section 11, and outputs the output video S1to the video output section 30. Further, the output signal switchingsection 29 selects, as the output source of the output video S2, eitherthe signal detection section 25 or the recording section 11, and outputsthe output video S2 to the video output section 31. Furthermore, theoutput signal switching section 29 selects, as the output source of theoutput video S3, either the signal detection section 26 or the recordingsection 11, and outputs the output video S3 to the video output section32.

The video output section 30 outputs the output video S1 to the displayapparatus 2 (see FIG. 1). The video output section 31 outputs the outputvideo S2 to the display apparatus 2. The video output section 32 outputsthe output video S3 to the display apparatus 2. Hereinafter, when theoutput videos S1, S2, and S3 that are outputted respectively from thevideo output sections 30, 31, and 32 are discriminated from the outputvideos S1, S2, and S3 in the image recording apparatus 1, the outputvideos S1, S2, and S3 that are outputted respectively from the videooutput sections 30, 31, and 32 are denoted by the symbols S1 a, S2 a,and S3 a, respectively.

Each of the video output sections 30 to 32 includes an output terminalthrough which the output video is outputted. Examples of the terminalsused as the output terminals include an SDI terminal, Y/C terminal, andthe like.

The communication section 33 is configured to be controlled by thecontrol section 13, and to transmit and receive predeterminedinformation to and from the display apparatus 2. The predeterminedinformation includes the above-described display state information. Thecommunication section 33 outputs the received display state informationto the storage section 12. The storage section 12 stores the displaystate information. When causing the plurality of output videos, whichare included in the recording information retained in the recordingsection 11, to be displayed on the display apparatus 2, thecommunication section 33 outputs the display state information includedin the recording information to the display apparatus 2. In FIG. 2 andFIG. 3 to be described later, the information transmitted and receivedbetween the communication section 33 and the display apparatus 2 isdenoted by the symbol S4.

The writing-out section 34 is configured to output at least a part ofthe recording information retained in the recording section 11 to therecording device 140 (see FIG. 1). At least a part of the recordinginformation can be recorded, that is, written out to the recordingdevice 140 or the recording medium of the recording device 140. Whenwriting out at least a part of the recording information, the controlsection 13 controls the recording section 11 and the writing-out section34 such that at least a part of the recording information is recorded inthe recording device 140 or on the recording medium of the recordingdevice 140. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the recording information written out tothe recording device 140 is denoted by the symbol S5.

(Configuration of Display Apparatus)

Next, description will be made on the configuration of the displayapparatus 2, with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a functional blockdiagram showing the configuration of the display apparatus 2. Thedisplay apparatus 2 includes a display section 40 for displaying theplurality of output videos. The display section 40 is configured by aliquid crystal panel, for example. In the present embodiment, theplurality of output videos are the output videos S1 to S3.

The display apparatus 2 further includes three video input sections 41,42, 43, three signal detection sections 44, 45, 46, a display signalswitching section 47, a display signal adjusting section 48, acommunication section 49, a storage section 50, a control section 51,and an operation section 52.

Each of the video input sections 41 to 43 includes an input terminalthat receives an input of the output video. Examples of the terminalsused as the input terminals include an SDI terminal, a Y/C terminal, andthe like. The video input section 41 receives an input of the outputvideo S1 a outputted from the video output section 30 (see FIG. 2). Thevideo input section 42 receives an input of the output video S2 aoutputted from the video output section 31 (see FIG. 2). The video inputsection 43 receives an input of the output video S3 a outputted from thevideo output section 32 (see FIG. 2).

The signal detection section 44 detects presence or absence of theoutput video S1 a in the video input section 41, and outputs the outputvideo S1 a inputted to the video input section 41 to the display signalswitching section 47. The signal detection section 45 detects presenceor absence of the output video S2 a in the video input section 42, andoutputs the output video S2 a inputted to the video input section 42 tothe display signal switching section 47. The signal detection section 46detects presence or absence of the output video S3 a in the video inputsection 43, and outputs the output video S3 a inputted to the videoinput section 43 to the display signal switching section 47.

The operation section 52 includes a plurality of switches for setting aninput source of each of the output videos in the display apparatus 2,setting correction parameters for the output videos S1 to S3 in thedisplay apparatus 2, and setting the display styles of the output videosS1 to S3 in the display apparatus 2. In the setting of the input sourceof each of the output videos, one or more video input sections can beselected as the input source. One or more output videos, which areinputted to the one or more video input sections selected by theoperation section 52, are displayed on the display section 40.

The correction parameters are parameters used for correcting the outputvideo when the output video is displayed on the display section 40.Examples of the correction parameters include gamma values used forgamma correction, contrast, brightness, color temperature, and the like.These parameters are set for each of the video output apparatuses, forexample.

The setting of the display styles is, specifically, a setting of anenlarged display of the entirety or a cut-out part of the output videothat is displayed on the display section 40 (so-called scan modesetting) and a setting of a combining method of a plurality of outputvideos in the case where a plurality of video input sections areselected as input sources. Examples of the combining method include apicture-out-picture (POP) method in which a plurality of output videosare simultaneously displayed side by side, a picture-in-picture (PIP)method in which two output videos are simultaneously displayed in a mainscreen and in a sub-screen, respectively.

The correction parameters are set in advance by the operation section 52or other input means before the surgery using the endoscopic surgicalsystem 100. The storage section 50 stores the information on thecorrection parameters set in advance. If the correction parameters arechanged by the operation section 52 during the surgery using theendoscopic surgical system 100, the correction parameters stored in thestorage section 50 may be updated with the changed correctionparameters.

The communication section 49 is configured to be controlled by thecontrol section 51, and to transmit and receive predeterminedinformation to and from the image recording apparatus 1. Thepredetermined information includes the above-described display stateinformation. More specifically, the communication section 49 transmits,to the communication section 33 of the image recording apparatus 1, theinformation on the input source and the information on the display stylethat are set by the operation section 52 and the information on thecorrection parameters stored in the storage section 50. When causing theplurality of output videos, which are included in the recordinginformation retained in the recording section 11 of the image recordingapparatus 1, to be displayed on the display apparatus 2, thecommunication section 33 of the image recording apparatus 1 outputs thedisplay state information included in the recording information to thedisplay apparatus 2. In this case, the communication section 49 outputsthe received display state information to the control section 51.

The display signal switching section 47 is configured to be controlledby the control section 51, and to select any of the inputted outputvideos S1 a to S3 a and output the selected output video to the displaysignal adjusting section 48. The display signal switching section 47outputs, to the display signal adjusting section 48, one or more outputvideos inputted to the one or more video input sections selected asinput sources by the operation section 52, or one or more output videosinputted to the one or more video input sections selected based on theinformation on the input sources included in the recording informationtransmitted from the image recording apparatus 1.

The display signal adjusting section 48 is configured to be controlledby the control section 51, and to perform predetermined adjustment onthe inputted one or more output videos and output the adjusted one ormore output videos to the display section 40. The display section 40displays the one or more output videos adjusted by the display signaladjusting section 48. The display signal adjusting section 48 adjuststhe one or more output videos according to the setting of the displaystyle performed by the operation section 52 or the setting of thedisplay style included in the recording information transmitted from theimage recording apparatus 1. In addition, the display signal adjustingsection 48 adjusts the one or more output videos according to thecorrection parameters stored in the storage section 50 or the correctionparameters included in the recording information transmitted from theimage recording apparatus 1.

Now, description will be made on the hardware configurations of theimage recording apparatus 1 and the display apparatus 2 with referenceto FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of thehardware configurations of the image recording apparatus 1 and thedisplay apparatus 2. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the image recordingapparatus 1 is provided with a processor 1A, a memory 1B, a storage 1C,an input-output section 1D constituted of an input-output interface. Thedisplay apparatus 2 is provided with a processor 2A, a memory 2B, astorage 2C, and an input-output section 2D constituted of aninput-output interface. The processor 1A is used for executing thefunctions at least some of the plurality of constituent elements, suchas the control section 13 and the encoding section 28, of the imagerecording apparatus 1. The processor 2A is used for executing thefunctions of at least some of the plurality of constituent elements,such as the display signal adjusting section 48 and the control section51, of the display apparatus 2. Each of the processors 1A and 2A isconfigured of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), for example. Atleast some of the plurality of constituent elements of the imagerecording apparatus 1 and at least some of the plurality of constituentelements of the display apparatus 2 may be configured respectively ascircuit blocks in the FPGA.

Each of the memories 1B and 2B is configured by a rewritable volatilestorage element such as RAM. Each of the storages 1C and 2C isconfigured by a rewritable non-volatile storage apparatus such as aflash memory or a hard disk apparatus. The memory 1B and the storage 1Care used for executing the functions of the recording section 11 and thestorage section 12 of the image recording apparatus 1. The memory 2B andthe storage 2C are used for executing the function of the storagesection 50 of the display apparatus 2.

The input-output section 1D is used for transmitting and receivingsignals between the image recording apparatus 1 and an outside. In thepresent embodiment, the input-output section 1D includes the video inputsections 21 to 23, the video output sections 30 to 32, the communicationsection 33, and the writing-out section 34. The input-output section 2Dis used for transmitting and receiving signals between the displayapparatus 2 and an outside. In the present embodiment, the input-outputsection 2D includes the video input sections 41 to 43 and thecommunication section 49.

Each of the processors 1A and 2A may be configured by a centralprocessing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU). In this case, thefunctions of at least some of the plurality of constituent elements ofthe image recording apparatus 1 may be implemented by the CPU reading aprogram from the storage 1C and executing the program. Similarly, thefunctions of at least some of the plurality of constituent elements ofthe display apparatus 2 may be implemented by the CPU reading a programfrom the storage 2C and executing the program.

The hardware configurations of the image recording apparatus 1 and thedisplay apparatus 2 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 4. Forexample, the plurality of constituent elements of the image recordingapparatus 1 may be configured as separate electronic circuits.Similarly, the plurality of constituent elements of the displayapparatus 2 may be configured as separate electronic circuits.

(Operation at the Time of Recording Information Generation)

Next, among the operations of the image recording apparatus 1, theoperation at the time of recording information generation will bedescribed. Here, description will be made on the operation at the timeof recording information generation supposing that a surgery isperformed according to the first to fifth steps shown below. The firststep is a step of causing the output video S2, which is an MRI imagestored in the medical image management system, to be displayed on thedisplay apparatus 2 in order to confirm a target site for the surgerybefore the start of the surgery. The second step is a step of causingthe output video S1, which is from the first endoscope 110 as a surgicalendoscope, to be displayed on the display apparatus 2, after the startof the surgery. The third step is a step of causing the output video S2,which is the MRI image, to be displayed again on the display apparatus2, immediately before resection of the target site. The fourth step is astep of causing the output video S3, which is from the second endoscope120 as a gastrointestinal endoscope, to be displayed on the displayapparatus 2, in order to confirm a leak after anastomosis. The fifthstep is a step of causing the output video S1 from the first endoscope110 and the output video S3 from the second endoscope 120 to bedisplayed on the display apparatus 2, for final confirmation. Theprocedure is terminated at the timing of the end of the fifth step, andthe recording of the output videos S1 to S3 is terminated.

Hereinafter, the timing at which the output video S2 is displayed in thefirst step is denoted by the symbol Ta, the timing at which the outputvideo S1 is displayed in the second step is denoted by the symbol Tb,the timing at which the output video S2 is displayed in the third stepis denoted by the symbol Tc, the timing at which the output video S3 isdisplayed in the fourth step is denoted by the symbol Td, the timing atwhich the output videos S1, S3 are displayed in the fifth step isdenoted by the symbol Te, and the timing at which the recording of theoutput videos S1 to S3 is terminated is denoted by the symbol Tf.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the output videos (hereinafter,also referred to as display videos) that are displayed on the displaysection 40 of the display apparatus 2 when the surgery is performedaccording to the first to fifth steps. In FIG. 5, the rectangular figurelong in one direction, to which the symbol TL is added, indicates thetimeline TL schematically showing the temporal positions of the displayvideos. The triangles to which the symbols Ta, Tb, Tc, Td, Te, and Tfare added respectively represent the temporal positions of the timingsTa, Tb, Tc, Td, Te, and Tf in the timeline TL. As shown in FIG. 5, theoutput video S2 is displayed between the timing Ta and the timing Tb,the output video S1 is displayed between the timing Tb and the timingTc, the output video S2 is displayed between the timing Tc and thetiming Td, the output video S3 is displayed between the timing Td andthe timing Te, and the output videos S1, S3 are displayed between thetiming Te and the timing Tf.

The control section 13 controls the output signal switching section 29such that the output videos S1 to S3 inputted to the video inputsections 21 to 23 are outputted to the display apparatus 2 in a periodfrom the timing Ta to the timing Tf. Further, the control section 13controls the recording section 11, the storage section 12, and the inputsignal switching section 27, so as to generate the recording informationby associating the data of the output videos S1 to S3 with the displaystate information outputted from the display apparatus 2 in a periodfrom the timing Ta to the timing Tf.

In the present embodiment, the display state information includesidentification information for identifying, among the plurality ofoutput videos, the output video that is displayed on the displayapparatus 2. The control section 13 controls the recording section 11and the storage section 12, so as to identify at least one timing atwhich the contents of the identification information change, and impartat least one editing point indicating the at least one timing to data ofat least one output video corresponding to the changed contents of theidentification information, among the data of the plurality of outputvideos.

In addition, the control section 13 controls the recording section 11and the storage section 12, so as to impart an editing point, whichindicates a start of the recording of the plurality of output videos, tothe data of at least one output video displayed on the display section40 of the display apparatus 2 at the timing immediately after the startof the recording of the plurality of output videos, and impart anediting point, which indicates an end of the recording of the pluralityof output videos, to the data of at least one output video displayed onthe display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 at the timingimmediately before the end of the recording of the plurality of outputvideos.

Furthermore, as described above, in the present embodiment, therecording section 11 generates the recording information in associationwith the time information, and the storage section 12 stores the displaystate information in association with the time information. The controlsection 13 controls the recording section 11 and the storage section 12,so as to impart the editing points based on the time information.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining the editing points to beimparted to the data of the output videos S1 to S3 when the surgery isperformed according to the above-described first to fifth steps. In FIG.6, the rectangular figure long in one direction, to which the symbol TL1is added, indicates the timeline TL1 schematically showing the temporalpositions of the video inputted to the video input section 41 of thedisplay apparatus 2, the rectangular figure long in one direction, towhich the symbol TL2 is added, indicates the timeline TL2 schematicallyshowing the temporal positions of the video inputted to the video inputsection 42 of the display apparatus 2, and the rectangular figure longin one direction, to which the symbol TL3 is added, indicates thetimeline TL3 schematically showing the temporal positions of the videoinputted to the video input section 43 of the display apparatus 2. InFIG. 6, on the left side of the respective timelines TL1 to TL3, thenames of the input terminals of the video input sections 41 to 43 areshown. In FIG. 6, the symbol “SDI 1” represents the input terminal ofthe video input section 41, the symbol “Y/C 1” represents the inputterminal of the video input section 42, and the symbol “SDI 2”represents the input terminal of the video input section 43.Furthermore, in FIG. 6, the temporal positions of the editing points areshown by the triangles.

In the present embodiment, the video inputted to the video input section41 is the output video S1, the video inputted to the video input section42 is the output video S2, and the video inputted to the video inputsection 43 is the output video S3. Therefore, substantially, thetimeline TL1 indicates the temporal positions of the output video S1,the timeline TL2 indicates the temporal positions of the output videoS2, and the timeline TL3 indicates the temporal positions of the outputvideo S3.

The timing Ta is also the timing at which the recording of the outputvideos S1 to S3 is started. The output video S2 is the output video thatis displayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 at thetiming immediately after the start of the recording of the output videosS1 to S3. In this case, an editing point “Index A” indicating the timingTa is imparted to the data of the output video S2. Note that FIG. 6shows “Index A” simply as “A”.

If the surgery is performed according to the above-described first tofifth steps, the identification information changes at each of thetimings Tb to Te. At the timing Tb, the contents of the identificationinformation corresponding to the output videos S1, S2 change. In thiscase, “Index B” is imparted, as the editing point indicating the timingTb, to the data of the output videos S1, S2. Note that FIG. 6 shows“Index B” simply as “B”.

At the timing Tc, the contents of the identification informationcorresponding to the output videos S1, S2 change. In this case, “IndexC” is imparted, as the editing point indicating the timing Tc, to thedata of the output videos S1, S2. Note that FIG. 6 shows “Index C”simply as “C”.

At the timing Td, the contents of the identification informationcorresponding to the output videos S2, S3 change. In this case, “IndexD” is imparted, as the editing point indicating the timing Td, to thedata of the output videos S2, S3. Note that FIG. 6 shows “Index D”simply as “D”.

At the timing Te, the contents of the identification informationcorresponding to the output videos S1, S3 change. In this case, “IndexE” is imparted, as the editing point indicating the timing Te, to thedata of the output videos S1, S3. Note that FIG. 6 shows “Index E”simply as “E”.

The timing Tf is the timing at which the recording of the output videosS1 to S3 is terminated. The output videos S1 and S3 are the outputvideos that are displayed on the display section 40 of the displayapparatus 2 at the timing immediately before the end of the recording ofthe output videos S1 to S3. In this case, “END” is imparted, as theediting point indicating the timing Tf, to the data of the output videosS1 and S3.

Here, description will be made on an example of the display stateinformation with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a chart showing theexample of display state information. FIG. 7 shows the five editingpoints, “Index A”, “Index B”, “Index C”, “Index D”, and Index E″, andshows, as the output videos corresponding to the five editing points,the output videos that are displayed on the display section 40 of thedisplay apparatus 2 immediately after the timings corresponding to therespective editing points. In addition, FIG. 7 shows, as the timecorresponding to each of the five editing points, the elapsed time fromthe clock time at which the recording of the output videos S1 to S3 wasstarted to each of the timings corresponding to each of the editingpoints.

FIG. 7 also shows the names of the input terminals of the video inputsections 41 to 43 of the display apparatus 2, as the information on theinput sources of the output videos corresponding to the five editingpoints.

FIG. 7 also shows the respective setting values of the gamma values(shown just as “GAMMA” in FIG. 7), the contrast, the brightness, and thecolor temperature, as the correction parameters for the output videoscorresponding to the five editing points. Note that the setting valuepeculiar to each of the video output apparatuses is used as the gammavalue. Therefore, FIG. 7 shows the character strings indicating thecorresponding video output apparatuses, instead of displaying therespective setting values of the gamma values. In FIG. 7, “Endoscope 1”,“Endoscope 2”, and “DICOM” are the character strings indicating thesettings of the gamma values.

FIG. 7 also shows, as the information on the display styles of theoutput videos corresponding to the five editing points, the scan modesetting and the setting of the combining method of the plurality ofoutput videos. In the scan mode setting, “OFF” indicates thatenlargement and the like of the output videos are not performed, and “2”indicates that enlargement and the like of the output video areperformed with a predetermined method. In addition, here, the case whereone or two video input sections can be selected as an input source issupposed. In FIG. 7, “two-screen display” indicates the setting of thecombining method. In the setting of “two-screen display”, “OFF”indicates the case where one video input section is selected as theinput source and combining of a plurality of output videos is notperformed, while “POP” indicates that two output videos are displayed inthe picture-out-picture (POP) method.

In the present embodiment, the gamma values are used as the plurality ofpieces of setting value information for identifying the plurality ofvideo output apparatuses. The storage section 12 includes the tableshowing the correspondence between the plurality of video outputapparatuses and the plurality of pieces of setting value information.For example, the table shows that “Endoscope 1” corresponds to the firstendoscope 110, “Endoscope 2” corresponds to the second endoscope 120,and “DICOM” corresponds to the PACS terminal 130. The control section 13uses the table to identify that the output source of the output video S1is the first endoscope 110, the output source of the output video S2 isthe PACS terminal 130, and the output source of the output video S3 isthe second endoscope 120. FIG. 7 shows the output source (shown as“VIDEO INPUT APPARATUS” in FIG. 7) of the output video corresponding toeach of the five editing points identified by the control section 13.Note that, in FIG. 7, “PACS” indicates the PACS terminal 130, “SURGICALENDOSCOPE” indicates the first endoscope 110, and “GASTROINTESTINALENDOSCOPE” indicates the second endoscope 120.

In addition, at least one of the information on the input sources andthe information on the gamma values, in the present embodiment, at leastthe information on the input sources is used as the identificationinformation. In other words, in the present embodiment, at least one ofthe timing at which the input source is changed and the timing at whichthe gamma value is changed, here, at least the timing at which the inputsource is changed is regarded as the timing at which the contents of theidentification information change, and an editing point is imparted.Hereinafter, description will be made on the relation between the inputsources and the editing points, with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. Thedescription below also includes the description on the information onthe output source added to the data of each of the output videos S1 toS3.

At the timing Tb, the input source is changed from “Y/C 1” (inputterminal of the video input section 42) to “SDI 1” (input terminal ofthe video input section 41). In this case, “Index B” is imparted, as theediting point, to the data of the output video S2 corresponding to “Y/C1” and the data of the output video S1 corresponding to “SDI 1”. At thetiming Ta, the gamma value is set to “DICOM”, and at the timing Tb, thegamma value is changed from “DICOM” to “Endoscope 1”. In this case,“PACS” (PACS terminal 130) corresponding to “DICOM” is added, as theinformation on the output source, to the data of the output video S2 inthe period from the timing Ta to the timing Tb.

At the timing Tc, the input source is changed from “SDI 1” to “Y/C 1”.In this case, “Index C” is imparted, as the editing point, to the dataof the output videos S1, S2. In addition, at the timing Tc, the gammavalue is changed from “Endoscope 1” to “DICOM”. In this case, “surgicalendoscope” (first endoscope 110) corresponding to “Endoscope 1” isadded, as the information on the output source, to the data of theoutput video S1 in the period from the timing Tb to the timing Tc.

Furthermore, at the timing Td, the input source is changed from “Y/C 1”to “SDI 2” (the input terminal of the video input section 43). In thiscase, “Index D” is imparted, as the editing point, to the data of theoutput video S2 and the data of the output video S3 corresponding to“SDI 2”. At the timing Td, the gamma value is changed from “DICOM” to“Endoscope 2”. In this case, “PACS” (PACS terminal 130) corresponding to“DICOM” is added, as the information on the output source, to the dataof the output video S2 in the period from the timing Tc to the timingTd.

At the timing Te, the input source is changed from “SDI 2” to “SDI 1”and “SDI 2”. In this case, “Index E” is imparted, as the editing point,to the data of the output videos S1 and S3. Furthermore, at the timingTe, the gamma value is changed from “Endoscope 2” to “Endoscope 1,Endoscope 2”, and at the timing Tf, the recording of the output videosS1 to S3 is terminated. In this case, “gastrointestinal endoscope”(second endoscope 120) corresponding to “Endoscope 2” is added, as theinformation on the output source, to the data of the output video S3 inthe period from the timing Td to the timing Te and the data of theoutput video S3 in the period from the timing Te to the timing Tf, and“surgical endoscope” (first endoscope 110) corresponding to “Endoscope1” is added, as the information on the output source, to the data ofoutput video S1 in the period from the timing Te to the timing Tf.

So far, description has been made on the case where the timing at whichthe input source is changed is regarded as the timing at which thecontents of the identification information change. Note that, asdescribed in the modification to be described later, there is a casewhere the input source is not changed, but the gamma value is changed.In such a case, the timing at which the gamma value is changed isregarded as the timing at which the contents of the identificationinformation change, and the editing point indicating the timing at whichthe gamma value is changed is imparted to the data of the output video.

(Operation at the Time of Editing Screen Display)

Next, among the operations of the image recording apparatus 1, theoperation for causing the screen for editing (hereinafter, referred toas editing screen) to be displayed on the display apparatus 2 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 8. The editing screen is for editingthe recording information retained in the recording section 11. FIG. 8is an explanatory view showing an example of the editing screendisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2. In theexample shown in FIG. 8, the editing screen includes a first region 401,a second region 402, a third region 403, a fourth region 404, and afifth region 405. In the first and second regions 401, 402, the displayimages corresponding to the output videos are displayed. In the thirdregion 403, the information on the editing point is displayed. In thefourth region 404, pieces of information on the output videos aredisplayed. In the fifth region 405, the timelines of the output videosare displayed.

FIG. 8 shows the editing screen in the case of editing the recordinginformation including the data of the output videos S1 to S3 to each ofwhich the editing points are imparted in the manner as described withreference to FIGS. 6 and 7, and to each of which the information on theoutput source is added in the manner as described with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. Note that, in FIG. 8, the output video S1 is indicated asrecorded data 1, the output video S2 as recorded data 2, and the outputvideo S3 as recorded data 3. In the example shown in FIG. 8, in thefourth region 404, the names of the input terminals of the video inputsections 41 to 43 of the display apparatus 2, which correspondrespectively to the output videos S1 to S3, the names of the videooutput apparatuses corresponding respectively to the output videos S1 toS3, and images indicating the contents of the output videos S1 to S3 aredisplayed. Each of the images may be a still image located at thetemporal head of each of the output videos, for example.

In the fourth region 404, a frame 406 is further displayed, as selectingmeans with which one of the output videos S1 to S3 is selected. Theframe 406 is the selecting means that can be operated by the operationsection 52 of the display apparatus 2 or other operation means. FIG. 8shows an example in which the output video S1 is selected with the frame406.

In the first region 401, among the output videos S1 to S3, the outputvideo selected with the frame 406 is displayed as a display image. Inthe example shown in FIG. 8, the output video S1 is displayed in thefirst region 401. The display image may be a moving image or a stillimage.

In the fifth region 405, the timelines TL1 to TL3 indicating thetemporal positions of the videos inputted to the video input sections 41to 43, the markers indicating the editing points, and the markers eachindicating a time range during which each of the output videos was beingdisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 at thetime of the recording information generation are displayed. In FIG. 8,the editing points “Index A”, “Index B”, “Index C”, “Index D”, and“Index E” are shown respectively by the triangular markers to which thesymbols A, B, C, D, and E are added, respectively. The white blank parts411, 412, 413, 414, 415, and 416 in the timelines TL1 to TL3 are themarkers each indicating the above-described time range.

In the fifth region 405, a seek bar 407 as predetermined indicator meansis further displayed. The seek bar 407 is displayed so as to overlap thetimelines TL1 to TL3. The seek bar 407 is the indicator means that canbe operated by the operation section 52 of the display apparatus 2 orother operation means. With the seek bar 407, any temporal position onthe timelines TL1 to TL3 can be selected. The time displayed near theseek bar 407 represents the temporal position selected by the seek bar407.

As described above, substantially, the timeline TL1 indicates thetemporal positions of the output video S1, the timeline TL2 indicatesthe temporal positions of the output video S2, and the timeline TL3indicates the temporal positions of the output video S3. Therefore, itcan be said that the timelines TL1 to TL3 substantially indicating thetemporal positions of the output videos S1 to S3 are displayed in thefifth region 405.

In the second region 402, among the output videos S1 to S3, the outputvideo, which was being displayed on the display section 40 of thedisplay apparatus 2 at the timing corresponding to the temporal positionselected by the seek bar 407, is displayed as a display image. In otherwords, the seek bar 407 is means that selects any temporal position onthe timelines TL1 to TL3 and selects the output video which was beingdisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 at thetiming corresponding to the selected temporal position. In the exampleshown in FIG. 8, the output video S3 is displayed in the second region402. The display image may be a moving image or a still image.

In the third region 403, the name of the editing point immediatelybefore the temporal position selected by the seek bar 407 and theinformation on the output video which was being displayed on the displaysection 40 of the display apparatus 2 at the timing corresponding to thetemporal position selected by the seek bar 407 are displayed. In theexample shown in FIG. 8, “Index D” is displayed as the name of theediting point. In addition, in FIG. 8, as the information on the outputvideo, the name of the video output apparatus corresponding to theoutput video, the name of the input terminal of the video input sectioncorresponding to the output video, and the character string indicatingthe setting of the gamma value corresponding to the output video aredisplayed. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the time indicating thetemporal position of the editing point is further displayed in the thirdregion 403.

In order to provide the editing screen shown in FIG. 8, the controlsection 13 causes the recording section 11 to output at least a part ofthe recording information to the display apparatus 2 such that thedisplay image, the editing points, and at least a part of the displaystate information are displayed on the display section 40 of the displayapparatus 2. The display image corresponds to at least one output videoselected, from among the output videos S1 to S3 recorded in therecording section 11, by the seek bar 407 as the predetermined indicatormeans. The control section 51 of the display apparatus 2 causes thedisplay section 40 to display the display image, the editing point, andat least a part of the display state information, based on the recordinginformation.

In addition, the control section 13 causes the recording section 11 tooutput the data of the output videos S1 to S3 to the display apparatus 2such that the timelines TL1 to TL3, the triangular markers, and thewhite blank parts are displayed on the display section 40 of the displayapparatus 2. The timelines TL1 to T13 substantially indicate thetemporal positions of the output videos S1 to S3. Each of the triangularmarkers is a first type of marker that indicates the editing point. Eachof the white blank parts is a second type of marker that indicates thetime range during which each of the output videos was being displayed onthe display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 at the time of therecording information generation. The control section 51 of the displayapparatus 2 causes the display section 40 to display the timelines TL1to TL3, the triangular markers, and the white blank parts, based on thedata of the output videos S1 to S3.

Note that the first type of marker is not limited to the triangles, butany display means such as arrows, dots, or a characters can be used.Similarly, the second type of marker is not limited to the white blanks,but any display means such as arrows, coloring, hatching, and the likecan be used.

In the recording information, the output videos S1 to S3 themselves areoutputted to the display apparatus 2 via the output signal switchingsection 29 and the video output sections 30 to 32. Furthermore, amongthe data of the output videos S1 to S3, the display state information,information on the editing points, and the information on the outputsources are outputted to the display apparatus 2 via the control section13 and the communication section 33.

(Other Operations)

Next, other operations of the image recording apparatus 1 will bedescribed. As described above, the control section 13 of the imagerecording apparatus 1 is capable of causing the plurality of outputvideos included in the recording information retained in the recordingsection 11 to be displayed on the display apparatus 2. In the presentembodiment, the control section 13 causes the recording section 11 tooutput at least a part of the recording information to the displayapparatus 2 such that the output videos S1 to S3 are displayed on thedisplay section 40 of the display apparatus 2 in the display state whichis the same as at least a part of the display state at the time of therecording information generation. In other words, the control section 13causes the recording section 11 to output at least a part of therecording information to the display apparatus 2 such that a previewvideo, in which each of the output videos S1 to S3 is displayed in thesame manner as was being displayed on the display section 40 of thedisplay apparatus 2 at the time of the recording information generation,is reproduced on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2. Thecontrol section 51 of the display apparatus 2 reproduces the previewvideo based on the recording information.

Here, description will be made on the above-described preview video bytaking, as an example, the case where the editing points are imparted tothe output videos S1 to S3 in the manner as described above withreference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. In the preview video, first, the outputvideo S2 between “Index A” and “Index B” is displayed. Next, the outputvideo S1 between “Index B” and “Index C” is reproduced. Next, the outputvideo S2 between “Index C” and “Index D” is reproduced. Next, the outputvideo S3 between “Index D” and “Index E” is reproduced. Next, the outputvideos S1, S3 between “Index E” and “END” are reproduced.

The control section 51 of the display apparatus 2 reconstructs thedisplay state at the time of the recording information generation, byusing the display state information included in the recordinginformation, more specifically, the information on the input source, theinformation on the correction parameters, and the information on thedisplay style. In particular, even in the case where a plurality ofoutput videos are displayed, as in the period between “Index E” and“END”, the control section 51 reconstructs the state where the pluralityof output videos are displayed based on the information on the displaystyle. The preview video may be the one in which the display state atthe time of the recording information generation is fully reconstructed,or may be the one in which the image quality, the reproducing speed, andthe like are different from those in the display state at the time ofthe recording information generation.

In addition, the image recording apparatus 1 is capable of generating arecording video similar to the above-described preview video. In thepresent embodiment, the control section 13 controls at least one of therecording section 11 and the storage section 12, here, at least therecording section 11 so as to generate a recording video correspondingto the video displayed on the display section 40 of the displayapparatus 2 at the time of the recording information generation, byusing the output videos S1 to S3 and at least a part of the displaystate information. Generation of the recording video may be performedsimultaneously with the recording information generation, i.e., in realtime, or may be performed after the recording information generation. Inthe latter case, the recording video is generated based on the recordinginformation retained in the recording section 11. The generatedrecording video is retained by the recording section 11.

The recording video can be recorded, that is, written out to therecording device 140 or the recording medium of the recording device140. When writing out the recording video, the control section 13controls the recording section 11 and the writing-out section 34 suchthat the recording video retained in the recording section 11 isrecorded in the recording device 140 or on the recording medium of therecording device 140.

(Working and Effects)

Next, description will be made on the working and effects of the imagerecording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. In thepresent embodiment, the recording information is generated byassociating the data of the output videos S1 to S3 with the displaystate information. In the present embodiment, in particular, the displaystate information includes the identification information foridentifying, among the output videos S1 to S3, the output video that isdisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2. Withsuch a configuration, the present embodiment is capable of identifyingthe part, which was being displayed on the display section 40 of thedisplay apparatus 2, in each of the recorded output videos S1 to S3.Thus, the present embodiment is capable of improving the efficiency ofthe editing operations of the output videos S1 to S3.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the timing at which the contentsof the identification information change is identified, and the editingpoint indicating the timing at which the contents of the identificationinformation change is added to each of the data of the output videos S1to S3. According to the present embodiment, detection of the timings ofthe switching among the output videos S1 to S3 becomes easy by using theediting points. As a result, it is possible to use the recordinginformation effectively.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the display state informationincludes, as the setting value information, the information on the gammavalues for identifying the first endoscope 110, the second endoscope120, and the PACS terminal 130, and the storage section 12 stores thetable showing the correspondence between the information on the gammavalues and the first endoscope 110, the second endoscope 120, and thePACS terminal 130. In the present embodiment, the output sources of theoutput videos S1 to S3 are identified by using the table, and theinformation on the identified output source is added to each of the dataof the output videos S1 to S3. With such a configuration, the presentembodiment enables the effective use of the recording information.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the recording information isgenerated by associating the data of the output videos S1 to S3 with thedisplay state information, to thereby enable the output videos S1 to S3to be displayed on the display apparatus 2 or another display apparatus,while reconstructing the display state at the time of the recordinginformation generation on the display apparatus 2 or the other displayapparatus.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the editing screen can bedisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2. Theediting screen includes the timelines TL1 to TL3 substantiallyindicating the temporal positions of the output videos S1 to S3, themarkers (triangles, for example) indicating the editing points, and themarkers (white blanks, for example) indicating the time range duringwhich each of the output videos was being displayed on the displaysection 40 of the display apparatus 2 at the time of the recordinginformation generation. With such a configuration, the presentembodiment enables a user to visually recognize the timing of switchingamong the output videos S1 to S3 on the display apparatus 2 and thetiming in which each of the output videos S1 to S3 was being displayedon the display apparatus 2.

As described above, the present embodiment is capable of generating therecording video corresponding to the video displayed on the displaysection 40 of the display apparatus 2 at the time of the recordinginformation generation. The recording video has a file size smaller thanthat of the recording information including all the data of the outputvideos S1 to S3. Accordingly, using the recording video instead of therecording information can reduce the used capacity of the storage 1C ofthe image recording apparatus 1 and the used capacity of the recordingdevice 140 or the recording medium of the recording device 140.

(Modification)

Next, description will be made on the modification of the presentembodiment. The modification assumes a case where the surgery isperformed according to the following sixth and seventh steps, inaddition to the above-described first to fifth steps. The sixth step isthe step of replacing the first endoscope 110 with the second endoscope120 such that the output video S3 from the second endoscope 120 isinputted to the video input section 21 of the image recording apparatus1 after the above-described second step, to cause the output video S3 tobe displayed on the display apparatus 2. In the sixth step, inparticular, the output video S3 inputted to the video input section 21is inputted to the video input section 41 of the display apparatus 2 viathe signal detection section 24, the output signal switching section 29,and the video output section 30. In other words, the sixth step is astep of replacing the first endoscope 110 with the second endoscope 120such that the output video S3 is inputted to the video input section 41to which the output video S1 has been inputted in the second step.

The seventh step is a step of replacing the second endoscope 120 withthe first endoscope 110 again such that the output video S1 from thefirst endoscope 110 is inputted to the video input section 21, to causethe output video S1 to be displayed on the display apparatus 2. In otherwords, the seventh step is a step of replacing the second endoscope 120with the first endoscope 110 such that the output video S1 is inputtedto the video input section 41 to which the output video S3 has beeninputted in the sixth step. The above-described third step is performedafter the seventh step.

Hereinafter, the timing at which the output video S3 is displayed in thesixth step is denoted by the symbol Tb1, and the timing at which theoutput video S1 is displayed in the seventh step is denoted by thesymbol Tb2. In the modification, in particular, the output video S1 isdisplayed on the display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 betweenthe timing Tb and the timing Tb1. The output video S3 is displayed onthe display section 40 of the display apparatus 2 between the timing Tb1and the timing Tb2. The output video S1 is displayed on the displaysection 40 of the display apparatus 2 between the timing Tb2 and thetiming Tc.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining the editing points impartedto each of the data of the output videos S1 to S3 in the case where thesurgery is performed according to the above-described first to fifthsteps and the sixth and seventh steps. FIG. 9 shows the timeline TL1schematically showing the temporal positions of the video inputted tothe video input section 41, the timeline TL2 schematically showing thetemporal positions of the video inputted to the video input section 42,and the timeline TL 3 schematically showing the temporal positions ofthe video inputted to the video input section 43.

In the modification, the videos inputted to the video input section 41are the output videos S1, S3, the video inputted to the video inputsection 42 is the output video S2, and the video inputted to the videoinput section 43 is the output video S3. Therefore, substantially, thetimeline TL1 shows the temporal positions of the output videos S1, S3,the timeline TL2 shows the temporal positions of the output video S2,and the timeline TL3 shows the temporal positions of the output videoS3.

In addition, FIG. 9 shows the temporal positions of the editing pointswith the triangles. The relation between the timings Ta, Tb, Tc, Td, Te,and Tf and the editing points “Index A”, “Index B”, “Index C”, “IndexD”, “Index E”, and “END” is the same as that described with reference toFIG. 6. Note that, in FIG. 9, “Index A”, “Index B”, “Index C”, “IndexD”, and “Index E” are shown simply as “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E”,respectively.

In the modification, in particular, the contents of the identificationinformation corresponding to the output videos S1 and S3 change at thetiming Tb1. In this case, “Index B1” is imparted, as the editing pointindicating the timing Tb1, to the data of the output videos S1 and S3.Note that “Index B1” is shown simply as “B1” in FIG. 9.

In addition, the contents of the identification informationcorresponding to the output videos S1 and S3 change at the timing Tb2.In this case, “Index B2” is imparted, as the editing point indicatingthe timing Tb2, to the data of the output videos S1 and S3. Note that“Index B2” is shown simply as “B2” in FIG. 9.

In the modification, between the timing Tb and the timing Tc, the inputsource of the output video remains as the input terminal (“SDI 1”) ofthe video input section 41. However, at the timing Tb1 between thetiming Tb and the timing Tc, the gamma value is changed from the value(“Endoscope 1”) corresponding to the first endoscope 110 to the value(“Endoscope 2”) corresponding to the second endoscope 120. In this case,the control section 13 controls the recording section 11 and the storagesection 12, so as to impart the editing point “Index B1” to the data ofthe output videos S1, S3 by regarding the timing at which the gammavalue is changed as the timing at which the contents of theidentification information change.

Similarly, at the timing Tb2 between the timing Tb and the timing Tc,the gamma value is changed from the value (“Endoscope 2”) correspondingto the second endoscope 120 to the value (“Endoscope 1”) correspondingto the first endoscope 110. In this case, the control section 13controls the recording section 11 and the storage section 12, so as toimpart the editing point “Index B2” to the data of the output videos S1and S3 by regarding the timing at which the gamma value is changed asthe timing at which the contents of the identification informationchange.

In addition, in the modification, the information indicating the firstendoscope 110 (“surgical endoscope”) is added, as the information on theoutput source, to the data of the output video S1 in the period from thetiming Tb to the timing Tb1, the information indicating the secondendoscope 120 (“gastrointestinal endoscope”) is added, as theinformation on the output source, to the data of the output video S1 inthe period from the timing Tb1 to the timing Tb2, and the informationindicating the first endoscope 110 (“surgical endoscope”) is added, asthe information on the output source, to the data of the output video S1in the period from the timing Tb2 to the timing Tc.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment,but various changes, modifications, and the like are possible withoutchanging the gist of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image recording apparatus comprising aprocessor comprising hardware, the processor being configured to: recorda plurality of output videos outputted from a plurality of video outputapparatuses, and generate recording information including data of theplurality of output videos, to retain the generated recordinginformation; store display state information outputted from a displayapparatus configured to display the plurality of output videos, thedisplay state information relating to change points of display states ofthe plurality of output videos in the display apparatus; and generatethe recording information by associating the data of the plurality ofoutput videos with the display state information.
 2. The image recordingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display state informationincludes identification information for identifying an output video thatis displayed on the display apparatus, among the plurality of outputvideos.
 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe processor identifies at least one timing at which a content of theidentification information changes, and imparts at least one editingpoint indicating the at least one timing to data of at least one outputvideo corresponding to the changed content of the identificationinformation, among the data of the plurality of output videos.
 4. Theimage recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processoroutputs at least a part of the recording information to the displayapparatus such that a display image, the at least one editing point, andthe at least part of the display state information are displayed on thedisplay apparatus, the display image corresponding to at least oneoutput video of the plurality of output videos, the at least one outputvideo being selected by predetermined indicator means.
 5. The imagerecording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processor outputsthe data of the plurality of output videos to the display apparatus suchthat a plurality of timelines, one or more first type of markers, and aplurality of second type of markers are displayed on the displayapparatus, each of the plurality of timelines substantially indicating atemporal position of each of the plurality of output videos, the one ormore first type of markers indicating the at least one editing point,each of the plurality of second type of markers indicating a time rangeduring which each of the plurality of output videos was being displayedon the display apparatus when generating the recording information, thepredetermined indicator means is means that selects any temporalposition on the plurality of timelines and selects the at least oneoutput video that was being displayed on the display apparatus in atiming corresponding to the selected temporal position, and the displayimage is an image of the at least one output video that was beingdisplayed on the display apparatus in the timing.
 6. The image recordingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display state informationincludes a plurality of pieces of setting value information foridentifying the plurality of video output apparatuses, and the processoris further configured to store a table showing a correspondence betweenthe plurality of video output apparatuses and the plurality of pieces ofsetting value information, and the processor identifies an output sourceof each of the plurality of output videos using the table, and addsinformation on the identified output source to data of each of theplurality of output videos.
 7. The image recording apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the processor outputs at least a part of therecording information to the display apparatus such that the pluralityof output videos are displayed on the display apparatus in a displaystate which is the same as at least a part of the display state whengenerating the recording information.
 8. The image recording apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the processor generates a recording videocorresponding to a video displayed on the display apparatus whengenerating the recording information by using the plurality of outputvideos and at least a part of the display state information.
 9. Theimage recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaystate information includes information on an input source of each of theplurality of videos in the display apparatus, information on acorrection parameter of each of the plurality of output videos in thedisplay apparatus, and information on a display style of each of theplurality of output videos in the display apparatus.
 10. The imagerecording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processorgenerates the recording information by associating the data of theplurality of output videos with time information having a correspondencewith a lapse of time, and stores the display state information inassociation with the time information.
 11. The image recording apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the plurality of video output apparatusesis selected from a group of a plurality of apparatuses including aplurality of medical modalities each of which is configured to generatea medical image for diagnosis, and a medical image management apparatusconfigured to manage the medical images.
 12. A recording method forrecording output video signals from video output apparatuses, therecording method comprising: recording a plurality of output videosoutputted from a plurality of video output apparatuses, and generatingrecording information including data of the plurality of output videos,to retain the generated recording information; storing display stateinformation outputted from a display apparatus configured to display theplurality of output videos, the display state information relating tochange points of display states of the plurality of output videos in thedisplay apparatus; and generating the recording information byassociating the data of the plurality of output videos with the displaystate information.
 13. An image recording system comprising video outputapparatuses that output video signals, a processor that processes thevideo signals, and a display apparatus that displays output videosoutputted from the processor, the processor being configured to: recorda plurality of output videos outputted from a plurality of video outputapparatuses, and generate recording information including data of theplurality of output videos, to retain the generated recordinginformation; store display state information outputted from the displayapparatus, the display state information relating to change points ofdisplay states of the plurality of output videos in the displayapparatus; and generate the recording information by associating thedata of the plurality of output videos with the display stateinformation.